Pull rod carrier



March 6, 1945. A. M. ROSSMAN 2,370,687

PULL ROD CARRIER Filed May 10, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

/4//e/7 M. 2055mm? ATTORNEY.

March 6, 1945. A, RQSSMAN 2,370,687

PULL ROD CARRIER Filed May 10, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 6, 1945. A, M. ROSSMAN PULL ROD CARRIER Filed May 10, 1939 s Sheets-Sheei s mvswron. Ame/7 M E05 man v ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 6, 1945 UNITED T NT [lb-Fete]:

l RUL L RQD- C ARRIER- allen'mn ssman, wilmempm. appiian n 'May 'o, issasenal No. 212,865

'24Claimsl' (01. -5225 v v It isla furtherobject ofvthe present invention This invention relates to pull rod-carriers and more particularly tom'eans :iorssupponting horizontazliy movable LPIlHl'OdS. l i

- g It is frequently necessary-to transmit reciprocating --metion 'or power great, distances, :asby means of very long rods or zthellikfi. In some in: stances a considerable amount of :power-ris transmittedbyxthe movement of the .rod, and the, distance' involvedmay-be very rgreat, for instance, exceeding :three thousand feet. This condition prevails, byway of. example, in :certain oili-welldistricts wherein 'a number 20f oil "wells :are pumped by asingle engine. 'Thaengine; through suitable mechanism,reciprocatesafllarge number of pull rods each .of whichafor'ms. a connecting link between the source l of zpower =andia pumping jack .-1ocated;at an oil well, 'which :may :be at a considerable distance. To prevent :dragging'eon the ground, each rod is :supported by carriers spaced short distances apart; :frequently "approximate'ly every 'twenty-ffive feet. 'Thes'ebarriers} to provide a swinging pull rod carrier of the above mentionednharacter wherein yarious parts may be made of simple pipesor rods with abut a few bends therein.

It is a still further object of the present inven-- I I tion to provide a swinging pull rod supportpncarrier of, such a construction as will readily utilize material such tas is usually available as isorap is smooth in its action-does not require excessive, attention:or -servicing,*sturdy in construction-and can withstand rough usage and adverse weather conditions without affectingroperationof Ithaca-r rier.

It is-a still further-objectoi the'present invention-to provide :a pull, rod carrier :of the above mentioned type which may .be supported on 'a as heretofore used, generally .were in th'erform of a stationary block having ia groove:on t the top surface "thereof in 'which the rod is supported, the rod sliding in 'thegroove. .In such -a struc ture the groove must be exceedingly well lubri-i cated andeven then thereisaverylarge amount of friction. This causes not'only alossof power, but also produces 'jumpiness in the 1=rod; resulting in uneven operation and in great-'wear'on' the parts involved, "and frequent breakage or snapping of the rods. It is one of 'theobjects of the "present invention" to provide carriers for a rod of :this type;- which carrier can be so' arrange'd'as'to reduce the-power loss to a minimum;{and-'which will 'reducethe" likelihood of snapping of the pull rod *and which will not require constant ai-tte'ntion {for lubrica- I tion purposes. v h

In accordance with the teachings of the -pres-' ent inventionalong poured of the above mentioned characteris supported at short' spaoedim I tervals, say every 'twenty5five-feet, a swing ing earrierwhich is anchored-in theground and which' includes asaiidle orthe' ike ior'supporting the rod, said saddle beingmounted by-a'series' length; In accordance 'with the teachings of-the present invention tit is one oi the objects of "the invention :to rovide a carrierwhich will support the rod"v at "a plurality n'fl points extending along ingbetween carriers may ibe increased above the previous minimum safe "permissible j distance -between supports fOT-thEi-IOd; :This isracc-omplished,

are'spaoed apart the full width 'ofxthe straight Of'IifiRS SO that' it moves 'in substantially a straight horiaonta'l line throughout thedeng'th rocating movement of *th'e'pull rod. I

it is a further "object of the present invention to provide such a straight line swinging carrier for a pull rod \so constructed that the 'pull' rod can be easily removed or replaced :from anyone carrier without requiring --cm'n'lflicated radiust-t merits of the carrier with respect :to the :pullarcrl;

of r ap:

line operating mechanism and wherein Ttwo Por more straight line operating points which are "spaced apart in the direction :of the movement of the pullrodare both utilized to supportthe pull red at spaced points. By thisarran'gement it is possible to i riers: v

vWhile I have-herespoken ofa carrierjfor a pull rod inj'an oil pumping systempit is to begunderstood that this carrier can be used for supporting other :typesof' pull rods-in other instances as,

for ,instance pull rods .for operating railroad switchesorathelike;

don the ground due to the sag of:

a considerable length thereof so that thezspacncrease' the spacing between.car-' The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, in partial section, of a pull rod carrier embodying the present invention, said view being a sectional view taken along the line l-l of Figure2;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the pull rod carrier embodying the present invention;

Figure 3 is an end view of the carrier of Figure 2; I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and illustrating the manner of mounting the carrier;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating a single source of power transmitting motion to a plurality of pull rods extending to separate oil wells and each supported by carriers of the present invention;

s Figure 6 is a plan view of another embodiment oi the present invention;

Figure 7 is an elevational view of the carrier of Figure 6;and 1 Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Figure '7. I

Reference may now be had more particularly to Figures 1, 2.and 3 illustrating one embodiment of the present invention. A pull rod carrier is indicated by the reference numeral I, said carrier supporting a pull rod 2 which reciprocates horizontally. Th pull rod carrier is mounted by means of a post or foundation 4 which is rigidly anchored in the ground. At a suitable distance above the ground the post 4 has a supporting assembly secured thereto. The supporting assembly comprises upper and lower U-shaped rods 6 embracing the ground post *1 and separated by a U bolt 1; Between the upper and lower rods 6 there are secured two rods 9 and H! which constitute the base of the pull rod carrier, the rods 9' and I0 being'spaced apart on opposite sides of the post 4. The rods 6 are clamped tightly against the U bolt-1 and the rods 9 and ID by J bolts 8, and the U bolt 1 clamps the assembly firmly to the support 4. Four wooden bearing blockslZ; l3, I4 and I5 are secured to the rods 9 and Ill, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, the bearing blocks beirg rigidly secured to the rods in any desired manner. Links l6 and ll of identical shape and construction are rotatably mounted in the bearing blocks, the link [6 being mounted in the bearing blocks i2-l4 and the link I! in the bearing blocks l 3-15. The link It, comprise'sa rod having a horizontal portion l9 journaled in the wooden blocks l2-l4 and then extending upwardly and inwardly to constitute the portion which'extends above the foundation and terminates in an inwardly bent horizontally extending portion 2| that supports and is journalecl in'a wooden bearing block 22. The link I! is similarly bent and has its upper end journaled in a wood bearing block 23. The two bearing blocks'lZ-23 are connected by alini: comprising two L-shaped rods -25 extending through holes in the bearing blocks 22-23: A lever 2 bent to the shape illustrated, is welded to the rods 25-25 and extends at right'angles to the link comprising the rods 25-25 midway thereof. The lever 24 extends downwardly'from the link 25-25 and at its lower end isbent in a direction at right angles tothe rods 9-H), as indicated at 26 (Fig. 3). The portion 26 of the lever 24 extends through a wooden carriage 28. The carriage 28 is, preferably, in the same vertical plane as are the blocks 22-23, as is apparent from Figure 3. To secure this result the lever 24 is bent to one side of the center as it extends from the bearing blocks 22-23, as is apparent from'Figure 3.

From the above description it is apparent that there is provided a linkage comprising a four link chain of which the support for the fixed axes 30-3l (Fig. 2) constitutes one of the links. The lever 24 is the perpendicular bisector of a line adjoining the points 32-33, which is another link of the chain, and the axis 34 of the carriage '28 is on this perpendicular bisector.

of travel of the center 34 will be substantially horizontal. The proportions of the links may be made as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. carriage 28 is thus guided in a straight line by the links lB-ll, and the lever 24 supported thereby. As the linkage moves from the position illustrated in full-lines in Figure 2 to the position illustrated in dotted lines in that figure the links Iii-l1 move to the positions illustrated, and the center point 34 moves in substantially a straight horizontal line 35.

The carriage 28 has a V-shaped grove 36 extending lengthwise thereof which constitutes a saddle for the pull rod 2. The pull rod 2 rests freely in said groove and is supported by the carriage. As the pull rod is pulled to the right from the position illustrated in Figure 2 the linkage moves to the dotted line position. Dur ing said motion the carriage moves horizontally and continues to support the pull rod. The same type of motion takes place as the pull rod moves to the left from the position illustrated in Figure 2.

Stops are provided for limiting the extent of movement of the carriage 28. For this purpose one end of the rod I0 is bent inwardly and upwardly, as illustrated at 38 in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Likewise one end of the-rod 9 is bent towards the center of the support and upwardly, as indicated at 39 in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The bent portions 38-39 are in the path of movement of the block 28 and thus limit the extent of movement of the block in each direction. The dis tance between these stops is such that the block 28 has a permissive movement slightly in excess of the amplitude of the movement of the pull rod 2.

Pull rods of the type illustrated in Figure 2 sometimes extend great distances. It is sometimes necessary temporarily to remove the rod from the carrier and let the rod rest on the ground as,- for instance, to permit a vehicle or other load to pass over it. This can readily be done in the construction here illustrated, because the pull rod need merely be raised and moved to the right from the position illustrated in Figure '3 and then lowered to the ground. After the ve- 28. At the time the pull rod is removed from the" carrier the linkage may be inany position. Thereafter when the pull rod is replaced on the The a z aamoe'z carriage the marriage may not support the-mull; rod sat thesame place :as previously; Upon the; initialrecipzooatingmovement ot theipuli rodithe carriage I'may :reach its limiting position Finengagement with 10118 or, ithe other otxthe .tworstops 38--39 before :the maul} nod lhas' oumpletedrzi'm.

movement the directioniofuits trave1..- tCon- 'tinued movement of the pull r-od causes theipiill rodto slide in the :block. i28rwhiie the lilock'i28iis held by the-stop, so that the :pull ro.d::-adjusts;rits

position with :respect to :the lblookizfl... Unonrizeversal of the direction. :of movement of the rod the carriage will move with it. Since: the;

distance: between the stops 38-39 permits a: movement of ithe" carriage? slightly-greater than the extentxof reciprocating :movementicof the pull rod :the block 28 not engage .the "opposite stop.

.It is. to be noted that when the :rod car.- rier- :reaches' its limit "of motion lth'e. direction :df

travel of the carfiage :28 is still isubstantiallysaf straight line, as :may he =?seen'Iby the flows in Figure 2. Beyond its zlimitv'of travel, if the stops 38-39 were not provided, the direction of mo'vemen'tsoftheicarriagewould be somewhat upwardly rather than downwardly. This provides for stable operation oi the linka'geeveniifno stops weie provided. v

1 Reference may :now be had moreparticular l y to Figure 5 wherein :I' have illustrated a: ltypieall" installation utilizing the pull *ro'd carriers: of lthe present invention. In this installation a-s'tvucture known :as: a..po.wer' is illu'strated'at 4 3. This power'tis rotated by means of a steam .en-

gine' or" other rotating means and includes a disc:

or the like' 'fl tmounted on the?power bv means of 'an eccentric, "and reciprocating =a plurality of pull'rods 2'that extend to individual-wells, such as oil wells, 46. 'Thepull' rods are supported-"at frequentintervals, which may be= twenty five-orso feet apart, by pull rod carriers '1. The various pull rods may :be of different lengths, as illustrated, from very short lengths-, thousandfeet'inlength.

.I have discovered that the movable pivot 5 3 i of the carrier shown in Figures 1;I2=and 3 may be up to "several made fixed to constitute the point of support o'f the carrier, and the pivots 30-1-31 may be made movable to move in a straightline and' constitute" two supporting points for the pull rod. "This-is illustrated with a linkage of 'somewhat'-'different proportions :in'Figures "6',"7 and 8, to which refer encen aynow'be had. 'In this construction the pull rod is again indicated ibyfthe reference numeral '2' and is supported {by "a carrier which is mounted in placeby a post -'4, rig'idlyset' inthe ground in any desired manner. The post '4 "-has a wooden 'bearingblocklll rigidly secured thereto.. The ipull rod carrier'inolu'des a fixed 'pi'i'rot and four movable pivots 5l,;"52, 53, and ii.

A rod or like support 55 is .pivotally mounted at 50 and isbent, as indicated zit-'56, to constitute a support for two bearing blocks 51'58that are I rigidly mounted on the portion '56 of" the Tod 55. These blocks constitute the bearings for the 'movable pivots 52- 53. Identical "links "Elk-61 fl-con nect'the pivots '5I--52*and 53-54 respectively.

The link 6| is Z-shaped, as maybe "seen from Figures 6 and 8, :and includes a' vertically extend ing diagonal portion 62', a horizontaluppdr pon tion 63 the-center roi which zCQDIStfii'lltES thea-pivot 53, and a horizontal lower xportiomM :theoen'ten of which constitutes the pivot 5.4. portion 63 is journaled in the-bearing 1131;161:258;-

and. the lower portion 64 dsjjournaled in .86 bear! Theiupper J ing P01061055, Azsimilar heatingtblook BBiisr-iournailed to athe corresponding part-=01 :the link 60. The-hearing blocks .65.'i66tare :secured .tog'e'ther in-fixed spaced lelationshipaby ;a tie member :61

. extending through the hearing i'blocks and to whiohnthe ehlooks iare .=looked. The 'tie member extends beyond the blocks 65-66. :and carries niagesiare wooden zblocksxeaoh havingav-shaped grnoveiat the top thereof; :inzwhioh'groovesthe DUIIZZITDQ 2::rests; .additionsstop blocks -44 arealso mountedmpon'the tiemember 61, which stop rbiocks Bmay' talso zsupport-a the pull rod 2.

The bearing blocks 65-'-66zmay also bear against and suppontatheipull :rodZ.

' 'W'hen'thn pullrod istpulleddn one direotion or the rothercit 'draws ithezcaarrier:meehanism with it.

'I-he'rrod 255 pivots about Ithe -Ifnred pivot 50 so that the .two movable :pivots=52-'53 move in arcs oinirolesxahoutithe:pivot :50 :a'sfa center. its the rod. is ipulle'd to the lett :trom the position illustrated in Figure l7 itheesupportfifi and with it-the two: movablegpivots 252-453 rrswing counter-clock- Wise. At the :same time'ithe continuity 'o'f the pull rod maintainszthe hearing blocks 65. 66 in Fllhecpullmod'mayibe littedif rom the carrier=and lowered "to the ground asohas rto'permit a vehicle or ltheilikeito passwover it. flpontreplacementof the pullo'od upon :the c'arrier theapull rod may not be supported. by thezzcarrier at the same points omthepullorod aszpreviously. Upon movement-:oi';.the pull rod I one 'or the :other of ithe two stop ":blocks ?l0- l llim'it :the "movement of the carnier. 1- .I'he stop :11 'abuts :a'gainst the 1 support 4 .if theicontinued movementpf the pull rod to the :left excessive iwith respect :to the '=position of theicarrier. .ndditionalrmovementof the pull rod to @theleft causes "ther'pull .rod to s'lid'e on the camiermupports awithout fiurther movement of the carrier. Upon: rextersalofimovement of the pull rod .thewcarrier moves with the rod; the pull grad having; been 11103166 its proper position withrrespeot to'the hearing blocks- 68 68 In .a filte -manner whet-stop block it limits the movement of the :carrier FCO the right from the position illustrated Figure 7 "to -a position whereirrrthe :stop block Fill engages the bearing blook l-fl. When the carrierxisein tits *mid position,

as illustrated Figure .7, the distance between thestop l-l and'the support his equal 'to'the dis tance hetween the stop 10 andthe bearing block 49. .andis slightly amorezthanihalf of the'maximum range -of travel .of 'pull rod in either direction.

It. is -possible-1to1suppon't ".the pull rod directly uoonethe hearingiblocks fi5--EG".WithOl1l7 provision of -the cantileverwextensions15-16 andwithout the@blocks@fi8-68.- fiowevenlbyprovision of the extensions 15 and'16 and the :saddles68-68 the pointsofcsunport :for the pullrrod :ar'etspaced "furtherzapart :and it :is thus possible to increase the distance between adjacent carriers for the pull rod. wayvof examp'le, in one construction the distance between movable pivots 51- 55 is ap- *proainratelyl7%feet. I hus "for eah carrier there" is provided two points of support 7 feet apart." The extensions 75-46 may each be approximately 2 feet long thus providing supports 68-68 12 feet apart or, supportsfi lr feet on each side of the post 4. If it is desiredto support the pull rod at twenty-five foot intervals then the distance between adjacent carriers, measured at the post 4 may be made 37 feet. Thus two carriers will suflice for every seventy-five feet of pull rod length while the maximum distance between the supporting blocks 68 of adjacent carriers is twentyfive feet. By the construction illustrated in Figure 2 a twenty-five foot spacing between supports for the pull rod, necessitated threeicarriers for every seventy-five feet of pull rod length.

For a further description of the principles of the straight line mechanism disclosed in Figure 7 and of the laws of motion whereby the proportions of the links and the distances between the pivots may be varied to produce a different amplitude of motion, reference may be had to my pending application, Serial No. 224,862, filed August 15, 1938. In the aforesaid application the straight line mechanism is shown as pivotally supported at two points corresponding to the points 5| and 54 as fixed points, and the point 50 corresponds to the straight line point in the above referred to application.

It is understood that many of the structural features of the carriers of Figures 2 and 7 are interchangeable. For instance, themembers that locate the pivot point 34 onthe perpendicular bisector of a line between the pivots 32-33 of Figure 2 and the corresponding member that locates the pivots 50, 52 and 53 in proper relative positions in the carrier of Figure 7, may be interchanged. Likewise, as there is shown a cantilever member interposed between the straight line moving pivots and the pull rod 2 of Figure 7 so a beam or the like may be interposed between the pivot 34 and the pull rod 2 of Figure 2 so that the beam supported by the pivot 34 in turn supports the rod 2 at two places spaced on the opposite side of the center 34, the beam extending on each side of the pivot 34 as a cantilever. If desired, the member 28 of Figure 2 may be very much elongated to constitute a cantilever support for the rod 2 at opposite sides of the pivot. 34, the supports for the pull rod being an appreciable distance apart.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a few preferred embodiments of my invention. It is, however. to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise constructions here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters'Patent is:

1'. In combination with a longitudinally reciprocating pull rod, a support, a carrier comprising a straight line linkage including a plurality oflinks pivoted together and pivoted on the support, said linkage supporting the pull rod at a straight line motion point of the linkagesaid straight line motion'point having an amplitude of substantially straight line motion exceeding the amplitude of motion of the pull rod, and said pull rod being slidable with respect to its straight line supporting point.

2. A pull rod carrier comprising a supporting column, a pair of parallel horizontally extending members mounted on said column on opposite sides thereof, a pair of aligned bearings on said members on one side of the column, a second pair of aligned bearings on said members on the tioned links, 'said third link having a pull rod supporting part located on the perpendicular bisector thereof and between the two first named links.

3. A pull rod carrier comprising a supporting column, a pair of parallel horizontally extending member mounted on said column on opposite sides thereof, a pair of aligned bearings on said members on one side of the column, a second pair of aligned bearings on said members on the opposite side of, the column, a link pivoted in one of said pairs of bearings, a second link pivoted in the second pair of bearings, a third link piv-' otally connecting the two previously mentioned links, said third link having a pull rod supporting part located on the perpendicular bisector thereof and between the two first named links, 1

oted together to constitute a quadrilateral, two

of the links being of equal effective lengths and two being of unequal lengths, a stationary pivot about which one of the two unequal links is pivoted, said pivot being spaced from aid unequal link and located on the perpendicular bisector thereof, and means for maintaining'the other unequal link of the quadilaterai substantially horizontal during swinging of said stationary pivot.

6. In combination, a carrier comprising a four link chain pivoted together to constitute a quadrilateral, two opposite links being of equal efiective lengths and the other two of unequal lengths, supporting means comprising a pivot spaced a fixed distance from the shorter of the unequal links and equal distances from the pivots of said shorter link, the longer of the unequal links conthe carrier about stituting another support means, means mount ing the four link chain at one of said supporting means, and a longitudinally reciprocating load supported by the other supporting means, the longer of the unequal links being parallel to the direction of motion of the load.

7. An oil pumping system including an oil pumping mechanism, a source of power, and a reciprocating pull rod connecting the two, pull rod carriers supporting the rod at spaced intervals along its length from the source of power to the mechanism, each of said carriers comprising a pivoted linkage having a part thereof constrained to a straight line horizontal motion, means supported by said straight line motion part of each carrier and supporting said rod at a plurality of points spaced from one another in excess of 10% of the spacing between carriers.

8. Apparatus of the character described comprising a base member, upstanding legs pivotally supported in-spaced relation by said base member, a depending member pivotally supported in termediate the upper ends of said legs, a support afiixed to said depending member adapted to reane support at fixed points;

A pull ca e mn i s these. ac o s member pivotally supported ati each end by legs of lequal length/which are pivotally' attached to said base; said cross-member havinga part which is rigidly fixed to, the rest of the cross memberand depending perpendicularly from thenmid point of a line joiningthe pivots 2117:1 1? ends of the cross member, apull rod support pivotec i at a lowerpoint of said depending partadapted to reciprocate in a substantially straight line motion, and stop members adapted to' stopthe reciprocating motion; ofsaid support at fixed points;

10. Apparatus;- for: supporting a horizontal ion;- gitudinally'reciprocatingpullrod intermediate'its ends to prevent excessive'sa g ing thereof, said apparatus including a straight linemot-ion mechanism comprising a pairof links pivoted at one end to' swing aboutk'parallel spaced stationary horizontal axes, bearing blocks on the opposite ends of said links;'a third linkconn'ecting the two blocks and journalled thereby-to the first links topivot-with respect thereto, saidthird linkincluding a member extendingFbelow-the blocks; a

pull rod support pivoted tosaidmemberata'point below the pivotsof thethird link and at a substantial straight line motion point, of the third link, said 'supporthavingmean's ior-holding-a pull rod restingthereon in 'a' positiorrsuch thatthc vertical plane determined by the longitudinal axes of the pull rodfipasses centrally--throughthe blocks. i a

11. Apparatus for supporting-- a horizontal -longitudinallyreciprocatingpull rod intermediate its ends to; prevent excessive sagging thereof, said apparatus including astraight line motion mechanism comprising a pairof links pivotedat one end to swing about parallel -spaced stationa-ry horizontal axes, bearing blocks on the-opposite ends fSaidf'1i1'lkS, 9,-thiI'-d link connecting the-two blocks and journalled therebyto the first links to pivot with respect thereto, said third link includinga member extending below the --blocks-, a, pull rod support piivoted to said: member-at a point below. the pivotsriof the third link and at a substantial straight-line motion: point of thethirdv link, said apparatusbeing-opem atoneeside and embracing but :notsurrounding the--;puil -rod' support-whereby a pull-rod is removable-fromthe support and from the apparatus bylifting and moving therod: sideways to permitlowering of the assembled rod from the apparatus.

12. Apparatus for supporting a longitudinally reciprocating pull rod intermediate its ends to prevent excessive sagging thereof, said apparatus including four bearing blocks spaced from one another to constitute corners of a horizontal rectangle, a first link journalled in 'two adjacent blocks to swing about a horizontal axis, a second link similar to the first link and of an equal length journalled in the other blocks about a horizontal axis parallel to and at the same level as the first mentioned axis; both links extending upwardly from said axes, bearing blocks journalled on the upper ends of said links about axes parallel to the first mentioned axes, a third link connecting the two last mentioned blocks and supported thereby and including a member extending below the last mentioned blocks, a pull rod support pivoted to saidmember about an axis below and midway between the two axes o: the last mentioned blocks and at a substantial straight line motion point of the third link, said ssse t mer ts: in-

.sub ten eflr strai ht line heated ni it bq ed snethwis i re:-

w s i0 fits m e e s e U i i iiel fh fij i n el 9 M09 'l u hl n h rmin -r sa .rt-be th source oi, power andthe place" of utilization" to te sase earrielfcompr m jcie y'ip nin r hsilie s aswiss u two: partner movable pi'vots abpvefthe; fixed piv as. the is 'ai teit s n f abi P v x s beingsubstantially'l sthen the distance be;-

men themes pivot xesfeach'of' said links: b ej J ing in the iorrnfof I at the ends-toi'or-rn up er and lower parallel horizon-tally extending portions constit lting the bearing-shanks for the link pivots; a-ndi said parallel portions being jpined a one nd-byan intermediate portion to form three sides offa' polygon oneside of" which isopen; said joiningmember havin a depending 'portion,-"a pull rod support" pivoted to the de pending portion at a substantially straight line mot-ionpoint-thereof below'- and anequal dis-- tance from the movable; pivots; said carrier em bracingbutnotsurrounding thesupport whereby apuli" rod --i s"removable from the-support andfromthecamer by moving the rod sideways through' th open side of said polygon.

14; Apparatus of the character described comprising a base member; legs pivotally supported atone' en'd inspaced relation by' said base member a member pivotally supported intermediate the-o-pposite endsof thelegs; a support aflixedtosaid last member at a place on the-perpendicular bisection {of aline joining the pivots of said last member andata distance from thesaid pivtancev between" those pivots; -and adapted to reciprocate in a substantially: straight line, and means ior positively stopping the-motion of said supportat-fixed points-.-

:15.- A device-- of the character described comprising; av pair oinupstanding arms mounted at i lower-endsflonl-lfixed pivots, a support suspendedi between-said .armsby movable pivots insuch manner as: to be capable of oscillating for arlimited distancealong: a substantially straightline; said: supportbeing-adapted to carryv are 'ciprocable rod on its upper surface; i 16. In combinationi-withgai reciprocable pull line, the carrier being open on one side and the pull rod being supp rted on said support so that carrier by lifting and moving the rod laterally to 1 the rod may be removedfrom the support and permit lowering of the rod from the carrier.

, 17. In a'system wherein power is transmitted from a power source to a place of utilization by a reciprocating substantially horizontal pull rod of such length as to require support between the source of power and the place of utilization to prevent excessive sagging of the rod, a pull rod carrier comprising a pair of equal links pivoted to swing about spaced fixed parallel pivots, each of the links being in the form of rods bent'at the ends to form upper and lower parallel horizona'plaice r utilization by:

fea t ng i the e- 1 1 1 w i s e' ea nk r eted to; swing about spaced fixedi parallel pivots; a-

tally extending portions connected by an inter-. mediate portion at an acute angle to the lower. portion to form three sides of a quadrilateral the fourth side of which is open, bearing blocks on the upper portions of the links, a member joining the bearing blocks and supported thereby to swing about spaced parallel'movable pivots above and closer together than the fixed pivots, said member having a depending portion at an inclination to a vertical plane at right angles to the movable pivots, a pull rod support pivoted to the depending portion at a substantially straight line motion point thereof below and at an equal distance from the movable pivots and above the fixed pivots and with its longitudinal center line in a. vertical plane passing through both bearing blocks, said carrier embracing but not surrounding the support and being open at one side whereby a pull rod is removable from the support and from the carrier by moving the rod sideways through the open side of the quadrilateral.

18. A carrier for a horizontally reciprocable pullrod, said carrier comprising a. pair of pivoted arms, a swinging member pivotally connecting the arms, a pull rod support pivoted to the memher at a substantially straight line motion point thereof, each arm including a horizontal bearing shank, the pivotal connection between each arm and the swinging member comprising a block having non-intersecting holesformed therein at right angles to one another, the bearing shank of the arm extending through one of theholes, one end of the swinging member extending through and being supported in the other hole, the axis of said other hole beinghorizontal and parallel to the direction of straight line motion of the support, and said support being located in a position centrally intersected by the vertical plane determined by the axis of said other hole whereby it can hold a pull rod with its longitudinal axis in the same vertical plane as the vertical plane determined by the axis of said other hole.

19. Apparatus of the character described comprising a pivotally supported member, a point on which moves along a substantially straight line when said member is oscillated, a support affixed to said member at said point and uponwhich a reciprocable member of predetermined stroke is adapted to be slidably supported, and positive, means for preventing said first member from oscillating beyond a predetermined distance slightly in excess of the limits of the stroke of said reciprocable member.

20. Apparatus of. the character described comprising upstanding legs pivotally supported in spaced relation, a, depending member pivotally supported intermediate the upper ends of said legs, a, support affixed to vsaiddepending member adapted to reciprocate ina substantially straight line and upon which a reciprocable member of predetermined stroke is adapted to be slidably supported, and means for stopping the reciprocation of said support at points slightly beyond the limits of the stroke of said reciprocable member.

21. A device of the character described comprising a pair of upstanding arms mounted at their lower ends on fixed pivots, a support suspended between said arms by movable pivots in such manner as to be capable of oscillating for a limited distance along a substantially straight line, said support being adapted to freely carry a reciprocable rod on its upper surface.

22. A device of the character described comprising a pair of upstanding arms mounted at their lower ends on fixed pivots, means suspended between said arms by movable pivots for supporting a reciprocable rod, said means being capable of oscillating over a limited distance along a substantially straight line, said means also being adapted to freely support said rod withzontal reciprocable power transmitting pull rod and a plurality of carriers spaced from one another in a direction lengthwise of the rod and adapted to freely support said rod at a plurality of points, said carriers comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links having supports for said rod which are adapted to oscillate along a substantially straight line, and on which said rod is slidable, and stop limiting means for centering each carrier support with respect to the rod in the direction of reciprocation of the rod.

24. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of links pivotally connected together to form a linkage having a point thereon adapted to oscillate over a limited distance along a substantially straight line, supporting means fastened to said linkage at said point for freely thereby and in the direction of reciprocation of such rod line. I

ALLEN M. ROSSMAN. 

